Sunday, January 28, 2018

I have to admit I've put this post off for too long, I hope you don't mind the totally season-inappropriate outfit. Anyway, I'm sharing a bit about a freebie Chesty phone wallet I got from a Japanese fashion magazine called Bijin Hyakka ages ago. The print with the birds and the flowers, which was also one of Chesty's most popular prints and has been made into dresses and purses, was what moved me, and I wanted a phone wallet for when I just needed to take a bit of cash and my phone to, say, get a quick supper. Yet this print was totally random, you might get many birds on the front cover if you're lucky or not at all, or you might get them in unfavorable places such as the corners making them barely discernible, or have their bodies cut off by the edges or the closure flap. I'd be lying if I say I wasn't a bit worried after seeing on Instagram that many Japanese girls had to buy multiple copies to score one with at least one whole bird in front. Fortunately I had a bit of luck with mine and the prettiest bluebird (which the Japanese girls considered lucky and dubbed "幸せの青い鳥"）was in the prominent centre while there was another yellow one soaring in the top-right and a red-and-white one perched at the left bottom corner.

The wallet was designed for a universal fit of phone sizes (excepting plus models which would be a tad too big) and naturally there would not be a keyhole for the phone camera because different models come with different camera placements. Instead they have this sliding mechanism where you attach your phone to the black adhesive, and when you need to use it you can easily slide your phone upwards to reveal the camera. The adhesive is pretty sticky, but I didn't really want to stick my phone onto it permanently so I stuck a simple rose gold case from the dollar store instead. That way I can switch my phone cases easily according to my needs at the moment. As for the outfit, I just brought my floral blazer out as the print matches almost perfectly with the wallet. And with the flower headband and the butterfly earrings, I was going for a full-on garden theme I guess, LOL .

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Lately it's been mostly beauty and makeup posts here, I know. Well, in my own defense who can really resist all those pretty limited edition packagings in this festive season? I know I can't ; ) Anyway, this post is mostly about my more recent Sephora haul during the holiday season. Truly there's no better time in my opinion to shop there, as a lot of brands would launch limited edition items with gift-worthy seasonal packaging at this time of the year, and usually there would also be value sets for those not willing to take the plunge in full-sized products just yet. Well, let's begin with my own little Christmas haul now, shall we?

Not exactly seasonal limited edition items here, but I took the opportunity to snag a few Fenty Beauty items during the Black Friday sale. As I plan to write a post later on that lilac Confetti highlighter (R) and the Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer (C), I'll not further elaborate here. The Amber contour stick though, I find surprisingly flattering on fair-skinned girls. While most contour shades marketed in non-Asian countries (and intended for tan-loving Caucasians and dark-skinned ladies) are either too dark or too orange for fair skin, this taupe Amber shade with its tinge of grey looks pretty much like natural shadows on the face. One thing I don't like about it though is how big and blunt the contour stick is, it makes shading around the nose a bit clumsy and messy, you have to transfer the product onto a smaller brush, then work it on both sides of the nose.

I've been eager to try out the British cult favourite Pixi Glow Tonic, and this set has a sampling of the brand's three bestsellers in a pretty holiday edition rose gold-embossed gift box, so what's not to love? Glow Tonic is a gentle exfoliating toner with 5% glycolic acid, a gamechanger for oily skin and skin with pore problems and gentle enough for sensitive skin. I've read that some users encounter minor irritation after the first use before getting used to it, I did not have that problem, but due to inconsistent usage (probably laziness lol) I did not see much pore shrinkage with it either. The Glow Mud Mask on the other hand is a winner for me. It looks like mud and feels like mud, and upon application your face would just look like a freshly-cemented wall. Over time you can literally see the mask absorbing the sebum and oils from the pores as the pore areas gradually darken in colour, and after washing off the mask my face felt just smooth and deeply cleansed. I would consider repurchasing the Glow Tonic and the Glow Mud Mask (though in regards to mud masks I'd like to try out Glam Glow's too some time).

Kat von D Lock-it Setting Powder, at 19g this would last me ages really. As the photo above shows, there's no powder puff included, and the powder looks a little yellowish in person but translates as almost translucent on the face. The powder itself is finely milled, does not cake and sets nicely on the skin, so it would be a greatt choice for setting under-eye concealers I think.

the Balm's powder foundation, honestly I didn't even know they had a powder foundation until I came across this at the store. Despite a measly number of reviews at Makeup Alley the reception is mostly positive, and with Sephora KL inexplicably pricing it almost 50% off its official webstore's price, I had nothing to lose I guess. I find the retro packaging really cute (as the Balm's products usually are), and interestingly the cover girls' skin colour differ with each shade. Mine is Lighter than Light which is the fairest shade, and the next shade Light with more of a yellow tone has an Asian girl on the cover and so on, and not surprisingly the darkest shades feature black women in various degrees of darkness. As for the foundation itself, I have to say, unless you are born with flawless skin it's difficult to use this alone. It is very light and doesn't cake, and performs quite well at hiding pores, but really it doesn't do much concealing, so don't expect it to hide your acne or spots or dark circles. You have to conceal whatever flaws properly before applying this powder foundation. Another shortcoming would be the lack of a sponge, or even the space to accomodate a sponge. Perhaps this product is meant to be used with a brush, but this really makes it terribly inconvenient to touch up on the go or take it on a trip.

I must applaud Sephora for its fox-themed Christmas releases, these are really too precious! And it's not just cosmetics, they even have a fox sleeping mask, a fox night-lamp, fox-shaped Stick-its. This star-shaped lip gloss with a fox ornament looks bright pink in the container, but on the lips it's more a clear lip gloss with a tinge of pink. There are iridiscent micro sparkles in it though, but it doesn't accentuate lip lines, and even have a little lip plumping effect. It smells of strawberry-scented shower gel, which I myself rather like.這次Sephora自家品牌出的聖誕限量彩妝真的太可愛啦外貌協會表示崩潰！！！是狐狸的主題，而且不光是彩妝，連狐狸睡眠眼罩、狐狸夜燈、狐狸便條紙都有 XDD 這款狐狸星型唇蜜看起來是亮桃紅，實際上是帶點粉色的透明唇蜜。本身有細緻的七彩亮粉，不顯唇紋甚至有點豐唇的效果。帶有類似草莓沐浴露的香味，甜甜的肥皂味還滿好聞的。

This eyeshadow palette with a fox motif, despite being comprised of mainly cardboard, is really well-made and held together with a magnetic closure (btw I posted a little video of this palette on my Instagram a few days ago, you may head over to @bonjourjasmineblog if so inclined). The shades are tried-and-true earthy tones, but the powder is really finely-milled and pigmented, the quality of these eyeshadows actually exceeds many drugstore brands that I know of. This and the exquisite packaging, all for a paltry RM29, how can you not??

A simple eye look with the fox palette using only fingers -- with the left shade as the base, apply the middle shade over the outer 1/3 of the eyes and blend inwards, then accentuate the outer V areas with the darkest right shade and complete the look with black eyeliner.

簡單的用手指上的眼妝 -- 左格打底，眼尾疊上中間格往內暈染，再用右格加重在眼外V區，最後加上眼線完成。

A set of brushes in a fox-themed box, the handles look gold because of the sunlight but it's actually a beautiful rose gold. This set comprises of a fluffy powder brush, an angled blush brush and an eyeliner brush. The brushes are soft and comfortable, and while perhaps not as densely packed as higher-end brushes, they did their jobs quite well. And don't overlook the black base under the brushes, it's actually a magnet that holds the brushes (yes, these are magnetic brushes ; ) ) upright and in place on your vanity.

Zoeva's recently released Opulence Eyeshadow Palette, truly as opulent as its namesake suggests. Apart from the elaborate designs, the names of the shades are also opulence-themed. And the shade selections are truly gorgeous in my eyes, all are shimmer shades with the exception of the candy apple red matte shade and the rightmost dark brown which has minimal sparkles but applies matte. Anyway I'm definitely doing a post on this so I'll save the swatches for next time!

There's less makeup freebies this time, mostly skincare and a few tools such as the makeup bag and the headband (and the USB too lol). Sparse as it may be, I'm pretty pleased to get a mini Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in their uber popular shade Lolita II and a Nudestix lip pencil in Greyhound. The paper swatches are shown above and a close-up of both shades on the lips below (lines galore, beware!!!)

(Sorry for those very detailed lip lines, thanks to my trusty macro lens lol) How do I begin to describe the famed Lolita II? Well it's got a tinge of orange for sure, over a brown nude base I think. It's matte, obviously, and frankly not as dry as my swatch photo portrayed. Problem is, I put on the Nudestix Greystone (which is pretty drying) without priming my lips first, and after removing Greystone I immediately applied Lolita II, by which time my lips were well and truly shrivelled like a prune LOL

The Nudestix Magnetic Lip Color in Greystone is a very dark earthy brown with a touch of grey. It's obviously not your everyday shade but if you want to make a dramatic statement this could be a good choice. The formula though is pretty drying, and gets drier over time so you might want to prep your lips with a balm first before applying.

That's all this time, I guess! Am still reluctant to do away with my Christmas thingies though ; )

這次就先這樣啦！雖然已經新年但是還是很不想收起聖誕裝飾 XDD

As usual, a medley of recent Instagram pics to end the post. Still in a festive mood, apparently. By the way, I also posted a swatch video of the Fenty Beauty highlighter and contour stick previously, head over here if you're interested : )

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Finally had time to do some proper makeup photoshoot, so three cheers for that! Today's look was done using mainly the Tarte Swamp Queen palette which I purchased earlier this year at Sephora KLCC. Shortly after there was that rascist post controversy, but since I had already bought it there's really no other choice but to use it. And despite my misgivings about Tarte's handling of the situation, I must admit I really like the palette a lot. First things first though, let me warn you, there's serious powder kick-up issues with this product. You really have to be extra careful especially with the three contouring powders on the left, and as for the eyeshadows I usually just use my fingers for application simply to avoid the chore of having to clean up a glitter-choked palette afterwards.

Well, I've always been an unabashed sucker for pretty packaging, which was the main reason I fell for this palette in the first place. It's quite indiscernible on the photo, but both the box and the palette itself are embossed with a pretty woodgrain texture with luxurious gold lettering. Inside you get a shiny gold surface housing the pans, a huge mirror and a bamboo-handled eyeshader brush. The pigmentation was mostly great, and application was smooth and buttery for the most part. Although I've just grumbled about the powder kick-up, thankfully at least it happens only in the pans, once it's applied on the eyes or face there's really no significant fallout that I can detect. As for the colour selection, I think this is quite a complete palette in that it has all these matte base shades and transition shades alongside the darker colours to help you complete an eye look using only one palette. The bronzer though, I'd say the shade is a bit tricky and too orange for fair or yellow skin tone. The blush is okay, but the pigmentation is insane so you'll definitely need a light hand with this. Oh, and the highlighter ...it's gorgeous! That kind of intense Instagram-worthy highlighter that's blinding when the light hits it (of course, I think it could work for everyday looks too if applied with a light hand).

Top row, left to right :1. #SFS -- a peachy gold shade with fine golden shimmer, this can also be used as a highlighter. The glow it imparts on the cheekbones is subtle but gorgeous as if lit from within, but the shade might be a little too dark for fair skin to be used as a highlighter as it could appear dirty.2. Natural Peaches -- a warm muted peach shade that is perfect as transition shade.3. Dogman -- a rusty orange brown, for me the main attraction of this palette. Seems to have some very fine gold sparkles in the pan but applies matte on the skin. Middle row, left to right :4. Big Baby -- a matte light beige, it's the ideal base shade with silky texture and smooth application.5. Sassy Bun -- a gorgeous burnished gold shade with a shimmer finish.6. Sippy Sippy -- a dark chocolate brown with sparse gold specks, the colour sheers out on the skin and application is a bit patchy.Bottom row, left to right :7. Haunting -- a warm nude with a hint of taupe, despite its fine shimmers it can work as a transition shade too. A cooler version of Natural Peaches. 8. Uncommon -- a taupe brown with a shimmer finish.9. Mancat -- a deep brownish plum with a matte finish, sheers out on the skin like Sippy Sippy but not as patchy.

An unsatisfactory swatch shot of the eyeshadows, it is really difficult to focus properly and catch the finish of the eyeshadows when operating a heavy DSLR on a self-timer. But I did take a better pic and videos with my iPhone, you can see those on my Instagram @bonjourjasmineblog (here) if interested.

3. Apply (c) over the area indicated above, building up the colour by layering and blending.

4. Give the look a golden shimmer by adding (d) over the center part of the eyelid.

5. Mix (e) with (c) at the outer V of the eyelid and blend, layering on more colour to achieve the desired intensity.

6. Use (f) on the inner corner of the eye.

7. As for the lower lid, line the lashline with (c) and blend out to soften the harsh lines.

8. Complete the eye look with a winged eyeliner.

1. 用（a）打底，上在整個眼皮。

2. 以（b）為過渡色，打在圖中所示的眼摺範圍。

3. 將（c）疊擦在圖中所示的位置並且暈染開來。

4. 在眼皮中間範圍疊上（d），給眼妝加上金色亮澤感。

5. 將（e）疊在眼皮外V位置並且反覆疊擦暈染以達到理想的飽和度。

6. 眼頭用（f）打亮。

7. 同扁頭刷子沿著下眼線上（c），並且用小隻的暈染刷刷開避免色塊感。

8. 最後畫上上揚眼線完成眼妝。

That's all this time, I guess. At last I've tried out that rusty orange-brown look (sometimes dubbed the Maple Leaf Look in Chinese) albeit perhaps a few seasons late. I've been wanting to get myself an earthy orange-toned palette for such a look, but pretty packaging being the my Achilles' heel I've been waiting for a palette that hits the right note for me from the appearance onwards. Although I felt that Swamp Queen was less discussed about among makeup aficionados than its other orange-toned palette counterparts, this is really a palette where you can easily pull off that fall leaf look with random combinations of the shades. Today I used Sweet Tea as the transition shade, Dogman on the crease and Sippy Sippy at the outer V and achieved a heavier version of the Maple Leaf Look ...the Dried Leaf Look perhaps? LOL Anyway there're so many orange-toned palettes from various brands right now, and truth be told the colours and consistency of the powders in this palette are not that unique either, so if you're unhappy about the brand or the packaging or the shade selection I'm sure you can find a lot of other choices on the market. For me, purely on a performance viewpoint , I'm perfectly happy with this palette (other than that darned powder kick-up!).

About Me

A hobbit, amateur francophile, and hopelessly addicted to antique lace, tulle and anything romantic. Now mired in modest Converses and white lab coats as resident doctor. If you have any questions, you can send me an email at jasmine_1986@hotmail.com or simply leave a comment. Bienvenue sur mon blog!